In the next round of Crusader upgrades, 136 F-8Es were remanufactured as F-8J. They were equipped with the more powerful J57-P-20A engine, which delivered an afterburning thrust of 18,000 pounds. Provision was made for the carrying of two 300-US gallon drop tanks on the underwing hardpoints in place of the bombs. Another important difference was that the boundary-layer control wing that had first been introduced on the French F-8E(FN) was added to the F-8J.
F-8Js were the main fighter Crusaders on station during the last 18 months of the Vietnam war (1971-72), although none ever actually scored a confirmed MiG kill. By this stage in the war, the F-4 Phantom was the primary MiG-killer, with the Crusader operating primarily in the reconnaissance or ground attack role.
149136, 149137, 149143, 149145, 149149/149151, 149154, 149155, 149159, 149163, 149164, 149170, 149172, 149174, 149175, 149177, 149180, 149182, 149185/149187, 149190, 149195/149197, 149199, 149201/149205, 149207, 149210/149212, 149214/149216, 149220/149222, 149226, 149227, 150284, 150289, 150294/150295, 150297, 150299, 150302, 150305, 150307, 150311, 150315, 150317/150318, 150320, 150323/150326, 150328/150330, 150333, 150336, 150339/150341, 150343, 150346, 150347, 150349, 150351, 150353, 150354, 150654, 150656, 150658, 150660/150664, 150669, 150670, 150672, 150674, 150677, 150678, 150680, 150682, 150683, 150844, 150855, 150849/150852, 150855, 150859, 150861/150864, 150868, 150871, 150872, 150877/150879, 150882, 150882, 150885, 150887/150890, 150898, 150900, 150903/150906, 150911, 150913, 150915, 150918, 150920, 150921, 150923, 150926, 150927, 150932.
Engine: One Pratt & Whitney J57-P-20A turbojet, 10,700 lb.s.t. dry, 18,000 lb.s.t. with afterburning. Performance: Maximum speed: 1086 mph (Mach 1.65 at 35,000 feet, 750 mph at sea level. Cruising speed 551 mph. Stalling speed 178 mph. Combat celling 47,800 feet. Combat range 1576 miles with four Sidewinders. Combat range 838 miles with six Mk 82 bombs. Internal fuel capacity 1348 US gallons. Dimensions: wingspan 35 feet 8 inches, length 54 feet 6 inches, height 15 feet 9 inches, wing area 450 square feet. Weights: 19,751 pounds empty, 30,352 pounds combat (with four Sidewinder missiles), 31,318 pounds gross, 36,587 pounds maximum takeoff. Armed with four 20-mm cannon in the fuselage. Four AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles could be carried on rails attached to the side of the fuselage. Two 300-gallon drop tanks could be carried on underwing pylons. A total offensive load of 5000 pounds of bombs or rockets could be carried.